It’s been just over 18 months since Modern Family capped off its eleven-season run on ABC, which means it’s been a while since TV audiences have seen most of the hyper-talented ensemble cast. (Save for Sofia Vergara, who’s been a whirlwind as a judge on America’s Got Talent.) Breakout star Sarah Hyland was previously attached to a fantastical pilot that unfortunately didn’t move forward, but the actress has locked down her next TV gig, and it sounds like a lot of fun, even if it’s not exactly the most expected follow-up to a hit sitcom.
Sarah Hyland’s fanbase won’t even need to wait until 2022 to see the actress back on the small screen, as she has been tapped to host the all-new family competition special Play-Doh Squished. At this point, the project is just a one-hour special, but it sounds like it’ll be a fun cross between Fox’s LEGO Masters and HBO Max’s Craftopia in being a family-friendly series focusing on creativity and imagination.
The basic premise here is that three teams will be competing, with each consisting of two kids and two adults, through a series of “fun and highly entertaining physical and creative challenges” that tie into holiday themes and celebrations. I do have to wonder what kind of physical challenges will be involved here. Hopefully someone has to craft a set of barbells that they’ll then have to do bench presses with. Check out the logo below, which definitely looks like it was crafted out of the titular material.
Sarah Hyland will serve not only as the host of Play-Doh Squished, but also as a judge and executive producer. It’s certainly possible that IMDb TV’s execs will decide to give Play-Doh Squished a full episodic run if the special does well enough, although it’s kind of impossible to know what kind of stats that would require, given the mystery behind streaming ratings. Of course, that’s presuming that Hyland doesn’t have several other TV projects waiting on the horizon. (Who wouldn’t want to see her in Outlander, amirite?)
Fans were pumped to hear that Sarah Hyland's initial Modern Family follow-up was a fairy tale-esque tale titled Epic, with the creators of Once Upon a Time as executive producers. It wasn't entirely clear why ABC decided to pass on Epic, but after a couple of attempts at making the pilot work, the network cut ties and moved on earlier this year.
Play-Doh Squished will debut on IMDb TV, the free streaming service from Amazon that has been building up its profile in big ways during pandemic times. The company has delivered the first TV adaptation of the Alex Rider YA series, as well as the revival of the legal drama Leverage, with ER’s Noah Wyle as a lead. Beyond that, IMDb TV has released a Luke Bryan-fronted docu-series, as well as the upcoming unscripted courtroom series Judy Justice, with Judge Judy Sheindlin holding the gavel once more. Even beyond that, the service is developing new shows from My Name Is Earl’s creator, a spinoff of Prime Video’s Bosch, and a Cruel Intentions TV show, to name just a few.
While waiting for a televised Modern Family reunion to happen, be sure to tune into Play-Doh Squished on IMDb TV when it makes its streaming debut on Friday, December 10.
